The Cell
by The-Guardian-Shadow
Summary: What happens when a newly broken-up couple get placed in a jail cell together? *SwanQueen*


**Just a lil something that seemed to be fic worthy. **

**Co-wrote with thebiggestnerdyou'lleverknow :D**

**The Cell**

Emma should have seen it coming. Dating and loving the Evil Queen/ ruthless Mayor of Storybrooke was destined to end ugly. They had been through so much together and through it a they fell in love. However, Love was apparently not strong enough to fight against what broke them up.

The townspeople could see how the breakup effected both women. Emma had become numb and turned off from the world. And Regina seemed to go back to the bitch she was before Emma had even arrived in her town.

Something had to be done.

Surprisingly it was Charming who came up with the idea. He wasn't a huge fan of Regina but even he could see how miserable his daughter really was, masking it with coldness. He was further convinced to act on his plan with Regina's actions. Clearly the woman had loved enough to be deeply effected by the parting.

He was sitting at the breakfast table with his wife and son when he spoke. "Snow, I think we need to do something to help Emma and Regina work out their troubles. And it's gonna sound crazy, but I have an idea."

Snow practically coughed out her oatmeal when he mentioned it. "What? You actually want to get them back together? Did we leave over protective Charming back in Oz?" She giggled then moved baby Neal onto her shoulder to burp him. "What's your idea?"

"I know, right?" He smiled. "It's just that I can see how miserable our daughter is and I want her to be happy. Even if it's with our former adversary. I mean, at least we know Regina is good now. And they already share a son." Charming took a deep breath. "What if we somehow draw them to the mines, leave them plenty to eat and drink, and trap them in til they work out their problems?"

"The mines?" Snow thought about it. "I like where your head is but what if they take so long to work it all out that the two of them run out of sustenance and/or oxygen? Its not like its an easy problem to fix, Charming."

"Oh yeah. I didn't think about that. Your the brains of our operations, dear. What do you suggest instead?" Charming asked, glad his idea was at least favorable.

Snow looked down at her breakfast as she thought. Finally, an idea popped into her mind. She looked to her husband and grinned. "What if we lock them both up in the jail cell?"

David grinned brightly. "You, my love, are a genius. A small space with plenty of air but no where to go until they talk things out. The only concern is Regina's magic. She won't just tolerate that sort of treatment."

"I think we can get some sort of help from a certain fairy with that. Enchant the bars of the cell to block out all magic."

"Great!" Charming smiled big. "I'll talk to Blue later today and see if she'll help." He happily went about finishing his breakfast.

SQ SQ SQ

Regina's assistant, Mary Jo, was getting very well fed up with her treatment. The mayor was moody, snide and just plain rude these days. "Mary Jo, where are those papers I told you to have on my desk?" The mayor asked agitated as she walked to the woman's desk.

"The ones you asked for ten minutes ago? The ones you only gave me thirty minutes ago? Those papers?" Mary Jo asked. "If they were up your ass you would know, now wouldn't you?" She said slamming her hands down on her desk, standing up to finally confront the woman. "I have put up with your rudeness for three weeks and I'm so sick of it. Do your own paperwork, Regina, because I quit!"

"Oh fine. Go ahead and walk out since you can't seem to handle the most minuscule of tasks!" Regina yelled as Mary Jo disappeared. "Idiot." She mumbled, unsure if the words were meant for her former employee or herself. She crossed her arms over her chest and sat back against the top of the desk. She'd have to find a new assistant. To keep things going. She couldn't fall apart.

SQ SQ SQ

Emma walked into the cafe, not knowing Red and a couple others knew about David and MM's plan. Or that there was a plan for that matter. "Rubes, can I get a capp to go?"

"Sure, Em. David also wanted me to pass along a message to ya. He needs to see you at the station at noon. Didn't know if you were already heading there or not."

He'd asked Regina to do the same. For city business, assuring her Emma would not be there.

"Really? Damn I only have ten minutes. He'll live if I'm late." She grumbled.

Regina of course showed up on time. "Well, Charming, what's the matter this time? A light bulb out on the cruiser?" She asked sarcastically.

David rolled his eyes. "No, Regina, it's a problem with the cell door, actually. It won't stay latched and I figured you could just use that magic of yours to fix it." He stood and moved over to the cell, planning to push Regina in when she got close enough.

Regina rolled her eyes as well and walked over to the door. "Where? I don't see where it-Hey!" She shouted when she was pushed into the cell. "What the hell are you doing, Nolan!?"

"I'm sorry, Regina, but this is for your benefit." He blew a white sleeping powder into her face, the queen falling back onto the bed. It wasn't a sleeping curse, she'd wake up soon enough. In an hourish. He opened the cell door then and waited for Emma to walk in.

"Emma, I don't know what's wrong with Regina. She came in, said she wasn't feeling well while we were speaking city business, then passed out. I laid her on the bed to make her more comfortable."

"Why the hell... Did you call Dr. Whale?" She asked with knitted brows and walked into the cell to look down at her ex when she heard the cage slam shut. "David? What are you doing?" She questioned sternly as she moved toward the door. "You open this cell right now!"

David shook his head. "I can't. I won't. You and Regina need to work out your issues, Emma, because we can all tell how miserable you are without the other. Actually, you're making the rest of the town pretty miserable, too. Regina will be out for a little while. You have some time to think about what you'd like to say to her."

"David!" She slammed her palms in the bars. "You cannot leave me in here with her. I don't want to work anything out with her lying ass. Let me out!"

He shook his head. "No can do. Later, Emma. Be back to check on you later." David turned and left then, leaving the sheriff with a still unconscious mayor.

"Ohhh you're so gonna pay for this, David." She said through her teeth then turned to the sleeping woman. "You're gonna be just as pissed as I am when you wake."

Regina opened her eyes about a half hour later, slowly sitting up and glancing around, things a little foggy. "Where the hell..." Her eyes fell on Emma and she frowned. "Why am I in a prison cell with you? Wait... I know. Where the hell is Charming?" Regina scowled, stood and tried to exit, attempting her magic to no avail. "What the hell! What's he trying to do exactly?!"

Emma sat in the corner of the cell, away from Regina. "I already tried that." She said then rolling her eyes when Regina's magic failed as well. Getting up, she then went over to the now vacant cot and flopped down with a sigh. "Apparently this is the town trying to get us to play nice again and work out our problems."

"Well I've always said this town is full of idiots. Your parents being the biggest." Regina replied, crossing her arms and keeping her distance from Emma. "What are they going to do? Just keep us locked up in here until we starve?"

Emma was quiet for a moment. "Do you really think they'll starve us? My parents aren't like the Evil Queen." She jabbed.

"You're right. They'd never have the intelligence to rule a kingdom like I did thus they'd never have such a title as queen or king." Regina quipped back.

"Right, because it takes a complete and total bitch to run a kingdom." She said looking toward the ceiling.

"At least I have some balls. Something your father is sorely lacking." Regina sighed and looked down at the lock. "Can't you pick this or something? You were once a thief, afterall."

"You were out for a while. Do you not think that I've already tried everything to get us out? They have this damn cage enchanted. We're not getting out until they let us out."

"Then fine. Let's at least pretend to get along when the dimwit comes back. He'll think we've made up and let us out."

Emma was silent for a long while before speaking to Regina again. "What the hell made you do it?"

"What do you THINK made me do it? You're not as dense as your parents. At least I didn't think you were otherwise I would've never dated you." Regina shot back.

Emma shot up and slung the pillow behind her, against the wall, with anger. "You fucking killed him because you were jealous!" The blonde screamed. "If I had known THAT in the beginning I would have never dated you!"

"Right. Because I'm such a monster for killing the ever charming and handsome sheriff. You knew what I was when we started dating. You knew my past. I don't know why this piece of information is so life shattering from the rest. I was a bad person I did bad things."

"That's not the point, Regina. Its not! The Enchanted Forest is completely different than here. You killed him because he and I had something. Something that you could never get. Something that you were jealous over. You killed him because of me."

"That's what this is all about? You're upset because you think I killed him over you?" Regina laughed. "Get over yourself. I killed him because he was unraveling. He was close to figuring the truth out and he would've ruined everything for me."

"Well guess what, sweetheart, you killed him for NOTHING! You're truth was discovered anyway. So you took a life to save yourself just a bit of time and thats it."

"I didn't know that at the time. I was trying to protect myself. Because that's who I was. The evil queen who wanted to continue ruling over her unknowing subjects."

"Was this town really what you wanted? No one knowing who you were and what you could really dish out? Was this place really your happy ending?" Emma shook her head. "I don't know why we thought that 'us' would be a good idea."

"I had Henry. And I didn't want anything taking him away from me. Which is exactly what ended up happening anyway." Regina replied, though other than him, honestly, it was no where near the happy ending she'd imagined for herself. Not until Emma. "I don't know. Clearly I lost my good sense at some point for a period. You are the one, afterall, who took my son from me and ruined everything."

Yeah, but I never stayed away. He was the one that brought me into your life and into this town. I love that kid and I did love you." She shook her head. "I don't plan on taking Henry away from you. Yeah you have changed from the bitch that I knew two years ago but that piece of information I got ruined what I felt for you."

Regina looked away when Emma said she 'did' love her. The breakup still hurt but the queen wouldn't let Emma see that. She wouldn't let her see just how much she had loved her in return. How she still loved her. "Well I don't know what you want me to say. I've already apologized."

"I don't want you to say anything, Regina. I don't care what you have to say. My talking to you is done." Emma said before turning back around, and flopping back onto the cot.

"Finally. I don't know how much more of the self-righteous talk I could've listened to." Regina huffed, leaning against the bars.

Emma had something to say but decided to follow her own words and not speak to the woman.

A few hours later Charming came in silently before speaking. "How are the lovebirds?"

Boy, did Regina have some choice words for him and smartass things to say, but she also wanted to get out of the damn cage. "We're on much better terms. Being locked in a cage for hours made us face our problems head on."

"Yup, we're just peachy." Emma said, not bothering to sit up. She knew her father wouldn't fall for the act.

Charming chuckled. "I don't believe either one of you."

What the hell do you want? You want us to kiss and make up? Because that's not going to happen. I thought you disliked me. Can't we go back to that?" Regina would almost beg for it at this point.

David shook his head. "Yeah, that's what we all want. The two of you after your break up is unbearable. Regina you have become mean. Not just snarky like you used to be before the curse was broken. And Emma... I can't even explain how you're acting. Its like you don't care about anyone anymore."

"It's really, really hard to be nice to you people. The stupid is rampant." Regina glanced over at Emma. "Miss Swan has always been a little apathetic. How is this new?"

David shook his head. "She's pissed at the world."

"David... shut up."

"No. You and Regina... when you were together you both were finally completely happy. Everyone could see that and you know what Regina, people in this town were happy for you. But now that the two of you broke up, we have two assholes running around the streets."

"You can't just throw two people into a small space and expect them to work out their differences when they don't want to. Emma doesn't love me anymore. And I don't know what I was ever thinking to begin with. Now let us out before I really decide to make some lives miserable."

Emma closed her eyes when Regina said that bit about love. Hearing it come out in the open like that made her feel a bit bad.

"All do respect, but you can't do anything behind these bars. So Snow will be here shortly to give the two of you supper." He said before he started to walk off.

"You'll have to let us out eventually, Charming!" Regina called after him. "And when you do, I will make your life miserable for however long as you make mine." She added darkly.

Emma rolled her eyes. "How long do you think we'll be in here?" She asked.

"I don't know, Emma," she said with disdain. "If I had any idea, do you think I'd be desperately trying to talk my way out?"

"I don't like being stuck in here with you anymore than you do so eventually we're going to have to figure out how to get along because that's the only way we'll get outta here."

"Yes, you've made that very clear." Regina said with a deep frown. "How about we just not talk? That seems to be the best time we get along anymore."

"Fine by me."

After about fifteen more minutes Emma sat up against the wall Indian style. "Here... Sit down. Its a bit more comfortable."

"I'm fine." Regina replied coolly, remaining where she was. After another 15, she finally sat, without a word, and made sure to keep her distance from Emma, so they didn't touch.

Emma's stomach started to growl after another hour. She had silently hoped Snow would come soon. When she did the pixie-haired woman was chipper. "Hi! You two having fun yet?"

"Loads." Regina replied in her typical snarky tone. "Did you happen to bring us something edible? Preferably cooked by Granny or Ruby and not yourself."

"I did. They made you something special." She slid the two trays through the slot. "I know the two of you probably don't understand why we're doing this. But I think after a few days of being locked together you'll at least come to an understanding of each other. The two of you were so happy when you were together. And though we didn't approve at first we realized that you were meant to be."

"A few days!? You seriously intend to keep us locked in here for days?" Regina asked in astonished tone, picking that out from all the rest of it. "What about the use of restroom facilities? Do you want to push us even further apart with the smell of body odor?"

Emma couldn't help but laugh. She could just see Regina doing the potty dance.

"I will have Blue set something's up for the two of you to facilitate your needs. No worries."

Regina shot Emma a dirty look then turned back to Snow. "No worries my ass. You and your husband are the biggest dimwits I know. I can't see you maintaining this while thing well for long."

Snow shook her head. "We shall see won't we Regina."  
Emma got up and took her tray and sat back down so she could start eating. After MM left she spoke. "May as well stop fighting it. They won't let us out with bad attitudes."

"So what? Shall we pretend to be all chipper instead?" Regina rolled her eyes. "They aren't going to fall for that bullshit either."

"Welp, what do you wanna do, Queenie? Huh? Since you're the one that makes all the fucking decisions in this fucking town, what do YOU think we should fucking do?"

"Don't fucking call me that!" Regina snapped. "You want to know what I think we should do? I think we should pretend we can tolerate each other so we can get the fuck out of here. Can you pretend, for five minutes, that you don't think of me as a horrible human being?"

Emma set her food to the side and walked up to Regina, slowly as she spoke. "Maybe. But what happens when we get outta here, Regina? We can't pretend forever. I know I can't." She stopped mere inches away from the woman. The only thing we can do is try to work all this shit out."

"I tried to work this all out awhile ago. But you said you didn't want to hear any of it. That you didn't love me anymore. Maybe we were just meant to be adversaries. We're good at that."

"Yeah we are good at that. But we were also good a few other things too." Emma mentioned glancing at Regina's lips. With a sigh she took a step back. "Its not true ya know..."

"Ah yes. We were good at fucking, too." Regina said cooly, not wanting to address the fact that there was much, much more between them. "What? What's not true?"

"The part about me... not loving you anymore." Emma looked to her shoes then slowly back up to the mayor. "I still love you. I'm highly pissed but... its complicated."

Regina clenched her jaw tightly. "So you lied. To hurt me. Well congratulations. You did a fucking fantastic job of it." She backed away, as far as she could get. "Because I never stopped loving you."

"When I found out what you did, I hated your guts. So no technically I didn't lie but the anger has died down minutely. Love is still underneath." Emma sighed. "I wanted to hurt you as much as I was hurting. You killed a man that I was falling in love with. Did you know Graham died in my arms, Regina? No? That's because no one knows that."

"Well I'm sorry I ruined your happy ending with the sheriff." Regina said coldly. "Join the club. I've ruined many happy endings."

The anger had boiled to its max as Emma walked back to the bunk and heard those words. Picking up her half finished tray she spun and threw it at the bars of the cell. She stood there slowly straightening her body then looking toward the ceiling. After a long moment she finally said something. "Its like you don't care about anything or anyone. You always have something smart to say. Even when we were together. I'd say something nice or romantic to you and you'd give me some fucking quip."

"Well, I am the evil queen, dear." Regina replied without feeling, though she wouldn't look at the blonde. She just stared out the bars.

"What happened to redemption?"

Regina laughed bitterly, finally turning to Emma. "Redemption? What ever made you think that's possible?" She asked with that signature evil queen grin that always had another emotion hidden behind it. "I did change. I truly changed. Yet it wasn't enough. Because my past will always overshadow my future." Her grin was gone then, replaced completely by that underlying emotion, sadness.

"Yeah, but you chose everything in your past after Daniel was killed. You didn't have to go on a murderous rampage but you did anyway." Emma looked over at her. Everyone's past overshadows their future. You will always hold my thievery and putting Henry up for adoption over my head. You have the Evil Queen thing. Mary Margaret has Daniel and Cora. Mr. Gold has the Rumple thing. You're not alone, Regina."

"I know what I did, Emma. I've finally owned up to that. You're right. I did choose my own path in the end. And I know we each have sins that will follow us. But I'm talking about the fact that, in our very first true test as a couple, you just walked away. What I did to Graham was wrong. But I never told you about it because I wanted you, because I knew what you would do. You didn't give me a chance to apologize or explain, just threw the evil queen card in my face and left me."

Blue walked in then and smiled lightly at the women. "It was brought to my attention that the two of you could be staying in here for who knows how long and well, you need a bathroom." She waved her wand and a door showed up at the side of the cell. A bit of privacy. A shower, sink and toilet.

As soon as the small restroom appeared, Regina disappeared. Right through that door, slamming it shut behind her.

Emma stood there and leaned against the bars of the cell and thought about those words Regina had said that were now continuously running through her mind. She was right. Emma was in the wrong but the anger and surprise of the news clouded her mind. She stared at the bathroom door for what felt like forever. When Regina emerged, the speech she had in her head vanished. She didn't know what to say to the woman.

"Well, I take it from the way you were staring at that door that you have to use the restroom. So it's all yours." Regina said evenly before walking over to the cot and taking a seat.

"I uh... yeah. I guess." Emma stood up quietly and walked into the bathroom. She used it and then just stood and looked at herself in the mirror. Now she felt like the ass. A complete and total ass. Coming back out a few minutes later she stood there and watched Regina eat. "You're right."

Regina stopped eating and looked up at Emma, one slender brow arched. "I usually am." She sighed then and sat back, letting her shield down. "About what this time?"

"I failed. I failed you and I failed us. I freaked out. You came to me and told me the truth. I grew angry and I let that anger rule my actions. I ran away, hating you for what you did... I'm sorry."

Regina was quiet for a long moment. "I could understand why you left that day. Graham's been dead for two years but to you, with that new piece of information, it was like it'd happened yesterday. What I couldn't understand, though, was why you never came back. I thought, if you loved me, you could forgive me for all my past sins. But I was wrong."

Emma sat down beside her. "Regina I've gone through a lot of shit in my life where I've given people second chances and I ended up hurt. I've stopped trusting people a long time ago and its screwed up many things. Then my mind went to... Well Regina and Graham were fucking and she killed him. What if she does the same to me? Is she just trying to get close to me to destroy me?" The blonde shook her head. "I need to get over my past issues. And I'm starting that today."

"That's not why I was with you. I did, still do, care for you. You were right earlier, though. I did kill Graham because I was jealous. He was supposed to be mine yet I could tell he was falling for you. But that's not who I am anymore. I have changed. But I was selfish not to tell you sooner because I knew you felt something for him too and I was so afraid of losing you."

"So what do we do when we get out from behind these bars?" Emma asked, looking over at her ex.

"Be civil with one another. We have a son we share, afterall. All of our negativity has likely been the most hard on him." Regina replied.

"Yeah. I think we could do that." She smiled and looked down. "Seems this plan of their's is starting to work after all, huh?"

Regina rolled her eyes. "God I never thought I'd say this but... for once... your parents were right. We just need to be cornered into talking things out."

Emma laughed and stood up walking to the bars. "Yeah I guess so. And that right there is how they know if our 'civilness' would be genuine or not." She said pointing at the camera.

Regina glanced up at it and frowned. "I just want this on the record for all time, I really can't stand your parents. Good intentions or not." She chuckled.

Emma smirked and looked back at Regina. "Wanna start over? I mean not ALL the way over to where we hated each other but to when we first started dating. Finally came out with our feelings."

"I..." Regina was quiet for a moment, then nodding. "Okay. You first, though."

Emma smiled before moving to kneel in front of the woman. The first time, Regina had a cut on her hand that Emma was wrapping up, so this time she simply took the woman's hand and lightly traced the scar. "You know, I never could hate you." The blonde repeated.

Regina cocked a brow, like she'd done that day. "Really now? I mean, hate's a strong word but surely you can't stand being around me after what I've done."

"People make mistakes and you've seemed to have redeemed yourself quite nicely. Now that you're not a complete hard ass... I kinda enjoy your company."

"I can't believe I'm saying it but I actually enjoy your company, as well. You're a lot different than your parents. And I mean that in a positive way." She smirked.

Emma simply smiled and waited three beats just as she had done before then leaned up, pressing her lips against the Queen's.

Regina knew what was coming and swallowed the lump in her throat before closing her eyes just as Emma's lips met hers. She was hesitant to respond at first, just as she'd originally been, but when she gave in, she gave in with all she had.

"I love you, Regina." Emma whispered against her lips before cupping the woman's cheek. "I'm sorry for walking out on you. I'll forgive you if you forgive me."

"I love you, too." Regina whispered back, looking into Emma's eyes. "I forgive you. But please don't just give up on me the next time you hear about something horrible from my past. There's a lot of darkness in it."

Emma nodded. "I promise, Regina. I was wrong for giving up. After having you and then having to live without, it just did something to me. Without you... as corny as it sounds, I'm not whole." Emma said, moving her hands up and down Regina's thighs.

Regina shook her head and wiped at the corner of her eye. "I hate admitting it but... I felt empty without you, Emma. You filled that void in me I've had for so long. And when you left..." She didn't finish in fear of getting too emotional. Not something she enjoyed doing in front of others.

Emma leaned back up and kissed the queen once more. "I'm not leaving again. I promise you. I screwed up. You trusted me with the truth and I let you down because of my anger. I promise that unless you kill someone I care about again or cheat on me I won't ever leave your side. I love you and Its time I showed that to you."

Regina looked into Emma's eyes as she listened, then leaned in to kiss her deeply. "I won't do either of those things." She whispered before kissing the blonde yet again.

Emma moved to sit beside the woman without breaking their kiss. She pulled Regina's legs over her lap and wrapped her arms around her. Because of the depth of the kiss, the couple didn't realize the door opened on the cell.

David cleared his throat, the two finally breaking away from their kiss to turn their heads. "Well, girls, I think you owe me a thanks." He smiled.

Emma chuckled and shook her head. "Yea yea. Thank you." She looked back at Regina, her forehead against hers. The awestruck love look back on her face, once again.

David noticed it and smiled big. What he didn't notice was Regina's equal look of love. "Let's go home." The queen said, implying hers that they'd once shared.

The women walked back home to the house they had shared. Closing the door and locking it, Em turned around to face her then pulled the woman close. "I've missed you too damn much." Running her fingers through fluffy hair, the sheriff kissed her.

Regina said the last word in a whisper before kissing Emma again, cupping her face and slipping her fingers into silky blonde hair. "I've missed you, too. Terribly."

**THE END!**

**Reviews are awesome!**


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